Fort Smith Public Transit Picking Up More Riders

The Fort Smith Transit Department is on a record-setting pace this year, according to the latest ridership figures.

The Fort Smith Transit Department is on a record-setting pace this year, according to the latest ridership figures.

A report released Friday shows an increase of 3,260 passenger trips during the second quarter of the year. The total number of trips was 53,997. For the year so far, it was 105,704, an increase of 6,425, or 6.5 percent, over the same period in 2012.

"We’re just seeing more and more participation," Transit Director Ken Savage said. "It’d be a guess at why. But my guess is the expense of owning a car. What the drivers are telling me is there are also quite a few people searching for jobs. We have a pretty significant number of elderly riding, as well.

"It’s a balance of a lot of different things."

The transit system receives 3 percent, or about $450,000, of Fort Smith’s portion of a 1 percent Sebastian County sales tax. Those local funds qualify the city for more than $2 million in state and federal grants, according to city officials.

The transit service, which began in June 1996, has lately been averaging about 200,000 riders a year.

"In 1998, we had 75,900 trips," Savage said. "It peaked in 2008, when the gas prices got really high, at 208,600. It’s slowly been building back up. This year, I think we’re probably going to top out around 210,000 or higher. So I think we’ll break our 2008 number."

Although the city offers several different services, the additional passengers are for the most part using the standard, fixed-rate service.

"That’s good; it’s what we want to see," Savage said. "It’s cheaper to operate than our other services. Of course, expenses aren’t coming down for us."

To counter rising fuel and equipment costs, the Transit Department is requesting approval to raise rates a quarter for fixed-route service, from $1 to $1.25. A nearly four-month-long public hearing on the proposal opened in mid-July.

"I’ve not heard a lot of opposition about it," Savage said. "I think more what the drivers are experiencing are questions of when it’s going to happen."

According to the city, although expenses have increased, rates at the Transit Department have never changed. The only other Arkansas community that offers a $1 rate is Pine Bluff. An additional quarter would put the rate on par with Hot Springs, Jonesboro and Texarkana.

If approved, Fort Smith’s new rate will take effect in 2014.

Other proposed increases would affect non-standard services outside the fixed-route and after hours. The proposal includes an increase from $2 to $2.50 per trip outside the fixed route during normal operating hours. A $3 rate is proposed for the additional service before or after hours. The latter "twilight service," Savage said, would jump a dollar the following year to $4.

A monthly pass for $35 will not change. It’s estimated that between 15-20 riders take advantage of the pass monthly.

The Transit Advisory Commission will accept public input until its next quarterly meeting, Nov. 7, at which time a vote on the higher rates is scheduled.